GCC Secretary General: Study on Establishing a Water Linkage Project Among Member States

Riyadh, Nov 5 (KUNA) -- Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Al-Budaiwi said on Thursday that enhancing GCC integration in the electricity and water sectors constitutes one of the strategic pillars for consolidating the security of GCC member states and ensuring their sustainable development.

The GCC Secretariat General stated that this remark was made during a speech delivered by Al-Budaiwi at the extraordinary meeting of the GCC Electricity and Water Cooperation Committee, held via video conference. The meeting was chaired by Bahrain’s Minister of Electricity and Water Affairs, Yasser Humaidan, who serves as the current chair of the committee, and attended by committee members.

Al-Budaiwi added that the move to strengthen the GCC power interconnection system and the study of the feasibility of establishing a water interconnection project among GCC states reflect the shared vision of the leaders of GCC member states toward building an integrated, more prepared, and efficient GCC system to face regional changes and developments. This aims to ensure the continuity of vital services and enhance the common interests of GCC states and their peoples.

He emphasized that this meeting complements GCC efforts to translate the directives of GCC leaders into joint strategic projects and initiatives, and to follow up on the implementation of decisions issued at the 19th Consultative Meeting held in Jeddah last April regarding the enhancement of cooperation and integration in strategic sectors, foremost among which are electricity and water, considered fundamental pillars of the developmental and economic security of GCC states.

He noted that the rapid developments witnessed in the region underscore the importance of elevating levels of coordination and GCC integration in managing vital resources, enhancing the preparedness of infrastructure, and improving its efficiency and capacity to handle various circumstances. He affirmed that joint GCC work in these two sectors constitutes an important path to enhancing the security and stability of GCC states and supporting their ability to continue their developmental journey with steadfastness and sustainability.

Al-Budaiwi clarified that the meeting discusses two main topics of strategic importance. The first concerns the results of the study on the feasibility of building water interconnection projects among GCC states, while the second addresses the study on strengthening the GCC power interconnection system, which contributes to supporting GCC integration paths and developing cooperation systems in vital sectors.

He pointed out that the Secretariat General, in cooperation with member states and relevant authorities, has been following up on the preparation of technical studies related to these projects over the past period. This was achieved through a series of workshops and bilateral meetings with member states and the specialized consulting company to complete data and technical observations, and to review study outputs at various stages, leading up to the meeting of deputies held on October 20 to discuss the results and outputs of these studies.

Al-Budaiwi expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by member states and relevant authorities, in cooperation with the Secretariat General and the GCC Interconnection Authority, in preparing these studies and following up on their work. He emphasized the importance of building on the technical and institutional efforts achieved to reach practical recommendations that support moving forward with these vital projects, with a view to submitting them to the GCC Supreme Council. (End)